樂邦文類 3.78

3.78

（臣）甞讀天竺書，知出世間有所謂極樂國者，國有佛號阿彌陀，梵語也，此翻為無量，以其壽命無量光明無量故。又曰無量壽，又曰無量光。始亨國履位，捐去弗居，超然獨覺，悟心證聖。以大願力，普度一切。其國悉以上妙眾寶莊嚴，曲盡華好。地皆黃金，無山川丘谷之險。氣序常春，無陰陽寒暑之變。無飢寒老病生死之苦，無五趣雜居之濁。用是種種神通方便，現希有事，善導眾生忻樂起信。於日用中能發一念念彼佛號，即此一念清淨純熟、圓滿具足，融會真如、同一法性，幻身盡時，此性不滅，一剎那頃佛土現前，如持左契以取寓物。（臣）敬聞其說，刻勵精進無有間斷，惟佛惟念亦既有年，闔門長少靡不從化。乃闢弊廬，廬東偏鑿池種蓮，倣慧遠結社之遺意。日率妻子課佛萬過。而又歲以春秋之季月涓良日，即烏戍普靜之精舍，與信道者共之。於是見聞隨喜，雲集川至，倡佛之聲如潮汐之騰江也。夫慧遠創為茲社，距今閱數百祀，其間緇素景慕餘風、祖述其高致者，代不乏人。率湮沒無聞，卒與草木同腐。（臣）獨何幸，今乃蒙太上光堯壽聖皇帝親洒宸毫，書「蓮社」二大字為賜。雲章奎畫自天而下，光氣昭倬焜耀萬目，歡喜踊躍得未曾有。（臣）既拜手登受，竊惟陛下臨御三紀、兼愛南北，仁及草木、德及昆蟲，則似佛之普度一切。昭昭大明，如日之中無所不照，則似佛之光明無量。功成定治，付託聖子，夷睹大寶褰裳去之，則又似佛之超然獨覺悟心證聖也。至若春臺壽域，亘八紘而無垠；鼓舞之神，民由之而不知。蓋與極樂國土曾無間然。以是管窺聖心佛心，惟一非二，豈阿彌陀佛他心道眼洞觀無礙，知炎祚之中否、憫群生之失寧，故現帝王身以應運濟世乎？不然，何與佛合契乃如此也。是則佛壽無量、聖壽亦無有量，居然可知。（臣）曩侍寵錫，又出非常，不獨傳示雲林以侈千一之遇，使天下後世凡獲瞻仰，普得念佛三昧，究竟成就無上菩提，其為饒益詎可量？已謹刊諸金石，周對敭丕顯之休命。乾道二年月日，均州防禦使充兩浙西路副都總管秀州駐剳（臣）張[揙-戶+(今-一)]謹記。

Your servant once read Indian scriptures and learned that beyond this world there is what is called the Land of Ultimate Bliss. In that land is a buddha named Amitābha, which is Sanskrit and is translated here as 'Measureless', because his lifespan is measureless and his light is measureless. He is also called 'Measureless Life' (Amitāyus) and 'Measureless Light' (Amitābha). When he initially came into possession of the realm and ascended the throne, he relinquished it without residing there, transcendentally attaining awakening alone, realising the mind and verifying sainthood. Through the power of his great vows, he universally delivers all beings. That land is adorned throughout with the supreme and wondrous myriad jewels, exhausting all magnificence and loveliness. The ground is entirely made of yellow gold, free from the hazards of mountains, streams, hills, and valleys. The climate is an eternal spring, without the transformations of yin and yang, cold and heat. There is no suffering of hunger, cold, old age, sickness, birth, or death, and none of the turbidities of the five destinies cohabiting. By using these various supernatural powers and expedient means, he manifests rare occurrences, skillfully guiding sentient beings to give rise to joyful faith. If, amidst daily life, one can give rise to a single thought of mindfulness of that buddha's name, then this single thought—pure, ripe, fully complete, fused with tathatā, and identical to the single dharmatā—will not perish when the illusory body is exhausted; in a single kṣaṇa the buddha-land appears before one, like holding the tally to retrieve one's entrusted goods. Your servant respectfully listened to these instructions and exerted vigorous effort without interruption. Meditating solely upon the Buddha for years, the entire household, old and young, without exception has been transformed. Thereupon, I opened up my humble cottage, and to the east of the cottage dug a pond to plant lotuses, following the bequeathed intention of Huiyuan's founding of the society. Daily, I lead my wife and children in reciting the Buddha's name ten thousand times. Furthermore, every year in the final months of spring and autumn, choosing an auspicious day, we go to the Pujing Hermitage in Wushu to practice together with those of faithful conviction. Thereupon, those who saw and heard rejoiced in accord, gathering like clouds and arriving like rivers, the sound of chanting the Buddha's name surging like tidal bores upon the river. Now, when Huiyuan first founded this society, hundreds of years elapsed until the present; during this time, among monastics and laity who admired his remaining influence and transmitted his lofty purpose, there was no lack of people in any generation. Yet they mostly faded into obscurity without being heard of, ultimately decaying alongside the grass and trees. How fortunate is your servant alone, that now I have received from the Retired Emperor Guangyao Shousheng his personal wielding of the imperial brush, writing and bestowing the two large characters 'Lotus Society' (Lian She). The heavenly calligraphy and stellar strokes descended from heaven; their bright radiance illuminated and dazzled myriad eyes; I leaped with joy, having attained what was unprecedented. After your servant bowed his head and respectfully received it, I privately reflected that Your Majesty has reigned for three decades, universally caring for north and south, your benevolence extending to the grass and trees and your virtue reaching to the insects, which resembles the Buddha's universal deliverance of all beings. Your brilliant great illumination, like the midday sun shining everywhere, resembles the Buddha's measureless light. Having accomplished merit and established order, you entrusted the realm to your sage son, calmly regarding the imperial throne and lifting your garments to leave it; this again resembles the Buddha transcendentally attaining awakening alone, realising the mind and verifying sainthood. As for the Spring Terrace and the Realm of Longevity extending boundlessly throughout the eight directions, and the divine spirit inspiring action while the people follow without knowing it, this truly has no separation from the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Viewing the sage mind and the Buddha's mind through this tube, they are solely one and not two. Could it not be that Amitābha Buddha, with his knowledge of others' minds and unobstructed path-eye, penetratingly perceived without obstacle, and knowing the decline of the Yan dynasty and pitying the loss of peace among all beings, manifested the body of a sovereign to accord with the times and save the world? Otherwise, how could he accord with the Buddha like this? If so, the Buddha's lifespan is measureless, and the Sage's lifespan is also measureless; this can be clearly known. Formerly, the imperial favour bestowed upon your servant was also extraordinary; not only is it passed down and displayed in the cloudy forests to boast of this once-in-a-thousand-years encounter, but it also causes everyone throughout the realm and in future generations who gazes upon it in reverence to universally attain the buddha-mindfulness samādhi and ultimately achieve unsurpassable bodhi—how could the benefit thereof be measured? I have respectfully carved it into metal and stone, widely extolling this glorious and august mandate. On the [gap] day of the [gap] month in the second year of Qiandao, respectfully recorded by your servant, Zhang Bian, Defense Commissioner of Junzhou, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Liangzhe West Circuit, stationed in Xiuzhou.